Amazed But Not Amused
by Ghislaine Emrys
Summary: Heyes and the Kid have a strange encounter on the Kansas Prairie.


Amazed But Not Amused

Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry couldn't explain it. But, inexorably, they found themselves riding into Kansas. And then, there came a time when the Kid didn't think they'd be able to escape.

==0==0==0==

"Heyes, tell me again why we're going to Dodge," the Kid asked for the umpteenth time.

"Like I told ya before, Kid, this is just something we gotta do."

"But _what_ do we gotta do? That's what I still don't understand."

Heyes looked at his partner sitting wearily on his horse. They'd pushed themselves to the point of exhaustion to get to Dodge City, though he wasn't quite sure why. But he had to come up with an answer for the Kid. Something that made sense, though it sure didn't make sense to him. Which was something Heyes didn't want to think about too much.

"Well, why do most people go to Dodge?"

"Used to be, for the fun people had there."

"Right. And what kind of fun was that, Kid?"

"Used to be, the saloons. But things have been a lot quieter lately, now the cattle drives are mostly over. Can't say I'm sorry about that!"

Heyes grinned at his friend. "Yeah, and none of those gunslingers to bother ya, either! But there are still a few saloons around. I wanna see what the Lone Star has to offer."

"But, Heyes," the Kid was insistent, "what's so special about this town that we had to get here so fast? Ya can play poker in lotsa other places."

This was the tricky part. 'Cos Heyes really didn't know. "Well," he started to answer, "there's just something special about Dodge."

They had almost reached the outskirts of the town and then, they both saw it. A massive green wall, just sticking up in the middle of the earth. It curved around as far as the eye could see. They pulled up their horses and stared.

No one else being near them, there was no need for a silent conversation. "What the…?" They looked at each other, amazed.

"Heyes, what is that thing?" The Kid slowly rode up to it. He didn't want to get too close.

"It's…" Heyes shook his head as he reached out a hand to touch it. At the last minute, he pulled back. It was just too weird. "I dunno what it is, but it looks like a giant row of corn."

"I was afraid you were gonna say that. Any idea what it's doing here?"

"No, but let's ride along and see if we can find out."

"I was afraid you were gonna say that."

Heyes tugged on his reins and his horse walked to the right; the Kid followed. Not long after, Heyes pulled up. "Hey, there's an opening here!"

The Kid looked at the hole. He looked at Heyes. He knew what was coming next. "Ya wanna go in, don't ya?"

"Ain't ya curious, Kid?" Heyes' eyes glittered with excitement.

The Kid could see Heyes' brain working, trying to make sense of the puzzle. The Kid was tense but he was also amused. They'd been partners a long time and he knew Heyes just had to solve the mystery.

Still on their horses, they both looked through the hole but all they could see were more giant green corn rows. Heyes felt himself being drawn to the opening. Without realizing it, he found himself on the ground and walking up to the edge of the wall. Instinctively, he knew this was the reason they'd come to Dodge.

The Kid quickly dismounted and drew his gun. "Hey, wait a minute!"

Heyes looked at him strangely. "It's okay, Kid. There's no danger here." He walked through the opening and disappeared.

"Aw, Heyes!" The Kid quickly hobbled their horses and went in after Heyes, gun still in his hand.

He found Heyes walking slowly, almost as if he were in a trance. They were in between two rows of giant corn stalks, the plants in each row so close together they couldn't see through them. Nor could they see over the tops of the stalks. They were surrounded by corn.

After about a hundred yards, they reached another opening. Without looking at the Kid, Heyes walked through.

"Heyes, what's the matter with you?"

No answer.

The Kid stepped in front of his partner, who stopped walking. "Heyes, what's going on?"

Heyes cocked his head. "I dunno, Kid. We have to go this way." He nodded to the left and resumed walking.

The Kid followed, wondering at Heyes' strange behavior but not saying anything.

They continued walking and came upon several more openings. Heyes never hesitated whenever they reached one. Some they went through, others they passed by.

After a couple hours of walking, the Kid had lost all sense of direction. He'd also lost his patience. "Okay, Heyes. Enough of this. Let's get outta here." He was no longer amused.

"But, Kid, we haven't found the answer yet. We gotta keep going."

"All we gotta find is our horses, Heyes. Let's go." The Kid turned back the way they'd come.

Heyes stood there stubbornly. "I don't think that's the way out. That's the way we came, ain't it?"

"Well, yeah. So we just gotta go back the same way."

"No, we have to keep going forward."

"Heyes, that don't make no sense."

"Trust me, Kid, I know what I'm doing."

The Kid snorted.

Heyes, indignantly, "Don't you start, Kid!"

"Then just get us outta here!"

"All right, all right, don't get proddy!"

They continued walking. Another hour passed. It was obvious to the Kid that Heyes did not know where he was going.

"Heyes, I'm warning ya…"

"Take it easy, Kid. We're almost there."

"Oh yeah? How ya know that?"

"I got a feeling."

The Kid said sarcastically, "A what?"

Heyes sighed. "Kid, what made us go the way we went?"

"You did, Heyes. You got us into this."

"And I'm gonna get us outta this, too. "

"When, Heyes? Today would be nice!"

"Aw, come on, Kid, where's your sense of adventure?"

"I left it with the horses."

They kept walking. It began to look familiar but, on the other hand, all the corn pretty much looked the same after several hours.

Finally, Heyes stopped. Triumphantly, "There!" He pointed at an opening.

The Kid looked through it. He saw…the prairie. He didn't see…their horses. "Uh, Heyes?"

Heyes said condescendingly, "I accept your apology. Ya know, ya really should have more faith in your partner, Kid."

"Uh, Heyes."

"What? You gonna tell me I should be the champeen tracker in all of western Kansas? Thanks, Kid!"

The Kid said sharply, "Will ya shut up and get over here? Whaddaya see, Heyes?"

"It's the way out, Kid! Didn't I tell ya?"

"Heyes!" The Kid was frustrated and exasperated. "Where are our horses?"

Heyes finally saw what the Kid saw. Or, rather, what he didn't see.

"Oh, well." Heyes wasn't bothered. "They're around here somewhere. Don't worry, we'll find them."

The Kid glared at Heyes.

"They're probably on the other side. Come on, I know a shortcut." Heyes turned back to the corn.

"Heyes, I ain't going back in that thing! Are ya outta your mind?"

Heyes stared at the Kid, briefly considering the idea. Nah. There had to be a reasonable explanation. Too bad he couldn't think of one.

Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry started walking toward the lights in the distance, to Dodge City.


End file.
